Sonny Boy Williamson & Yardbirds 1963: With Eric Clapton [Special Edition, Import]

Yes, Do the Weston is here -- it is called Western Arizona.

The only track missing is Baby Don't Worry, probably because it is Sonny Boy Williamson riffing on his own without The Yardbirds.

Other than that, this is the complete recording from December 8, 1963. The first six tracks are The Yardbirds themselves -- tracks 7-17 are Sonny Boy Williamson backed by The Yardbirds.

The last three tracks are not from the Craw Daddy R&B Club (as it was officially called) but were recorded February 28, 1964 at the Birmingham Town Hall. (Thanks to the great Yardbirds book by Alan Clayson for the information).

My suggestion: this is about as good as you are going to do. If you want a more complete version you will have to download Baby Don't Worry from iTunes -- but then it won't all fit onto one CD.

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

Before we get to the actual review D.B. Hebbard was kind enough to point out that "Western Arizona" and "Do The Weston" are the same song. Over the years certain tunes are known by a couple of names. If you see either title you'll know that you are getting the same track.

If you are looking for the Sonny Boy Williamson cut "Baby Don't Worry" it is not available on all the pressings. The Japanese CD called Sonny Boy Williamson & the Yardbirds [LIMITED EDITION] [IMPORT] [LIVE] (Japanese) does include the song but it is not as complete as this one. Since the Yardbirds are not on the track you can decide if you can justify the higher cost.

For fans that have collected most if not all of the Yardbirds recordings over the years they can enjoy the music here. As they back blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson you can understand the influence he passed on to so many of the British Invasion bands. Eric Clapton must have been out running the bands van to play the shows with him.

The focus of this release is for those that aren't looking for the Yardbird tunes they adore to this day. If you are seeking anything from "For Your Love" to "For R.S.G.", you won't have the proper mindset for it.

If you want to discover some raw blues with no thrills as it happened, this will get right in your face and deliver. "Bye Bye Bird", "Mister Downchild", and "River Rhine" (Coincidently done in a row) are three songs that you may want to check out first to get more comfortable with the proceedings.

Once you look in to the Yardbirds being on stage and not the stage, it isn't hard to submerge yourself in the tremendous material of Sonny Boy Williamson and the young guitar-player. What was his name? Call him "Slowhand" or Eric.

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

On the 'Star-Club (Germany) Mercury vinyl Lp there are only 9 tracks. "Do The Weston" is still listed on many CDs, but after ovr 40 some ears of YrdbiRds, Do The Weston seems imossible to find. Do The Weston ends Side 1 ofthe Mercury (U.S.) LP. The track is listed on the back sleeve of the Japan Victor CD, but is not in the tracks-listings CD insert. The track eems lost.

2-star rating due to unuthentic CD tracks, much of the above tracks are original YardbiRds racks; not all include Sonny Boy Williamson. Many tracks are unrelated YardbiRds releases.